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Regina paused to mark the 11 November 1918 Armistice Remembrance Day that ended World War I fighting.
For veteran Harold Hague, his memories of the First World War were pbaded down by his father.
"He was in the Royal Horse Artillery in France and he suffered a lot," said Hague. "The horses took the big guns into battle and it was so cold that he said they had to snuggle up and sleep under the horse to stay warm at night. These are stories that will shake you up. "
Born in Earl Gray, Saskatchewan, Hague enlisted in the Royal Canadian Navy at the age of 19, at the start of the Second World War, in 1939.
"It was the thing to do. There was a bit of patriotism and things like that, "Hague said. "My father did not want me to join, but who listened to his father at this age?"
After enlisting, The Hague served on the high seas and was active during the Battle of the Atlantic and D-Day.
"We were losing the first part of the Battle of the Atlantic," said The Hague. "If we had not won the Battle of the Atlantic, there would not have been a D-Day because you could not have sourced there. They were sinking the ships too fast.
"But eventually we had a ship with the equipment and guns needed. The Canadian Air Force, the plane, had a new plane that could go further and that was the turning point of the war. In England."
On June 6, 1944, The Hague was among the 150,000 Allied soldiers who landed on the beaches of Normandy, France, to fight the German occupation. During the invasion, he was on a ship clearing enemy mines.
"When I was aboard the ship and we were bringing back some of the survivors to try to save them, you could hear them screaming and they knew they had been hit," Hague said.
"They were screaming for mom."
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Now 98 years old, memories of the war persist as if it were yesterday.
"It's something I will never forget," said Hague. "I was on the deck and I was looking from the shore to the sea. As far as I could see behind us, there were ships, hundreds of ships. It was a show and as they entered, the situation got worse.
"And the device, thousands of devices flying at the same time and paratroopers," added Hague, "it was just a hell."
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At the end of the war, Hague returned to Regina where he played a pivotal role in the evolution of downtown Regina in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
He also joined Branch 001 of the Royal Canadian Legion. Under his leadership, he has held a variety of roles over the years and has been directly involved in creating services for veterans and seniors.
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In addition, he co-chaired the Remembrance Day Service in Regina and helped organize indoor service at the Brandt Center, Saskatchewan's largest Remembrance Day event.
This year, more than 1,000 people came to pay tribute to those who sacrificed their lives for our freedom.
"Remembering is not a job, it's a privilege," said Lt. Cmdr. James Balfour, chaplain of the naval reserve. "It is important to note the occasions when we can remember the sacrifice of previous generations."
For health reasons, this is the first year that The Hague does not attend the ceremony. Instead, he will attend the comfort of his home while the next generation continues to carry the torch.
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